Bad relationship between SD Worx and Vollering resolved, as she explores the US with her new team

Demi Vollering has had an eventful year, to say the least. It began with the announcement that she would part ways with SD Worx-Protime, followed by losing the Tour de France Femmes by mere seconds. A lost World Championship added to the series of setbacks before she decided to take on a new challenge with FDJ-SUEZ. At SD Worx, Vollering raced together with Elena Cecchini, who expressed sadness about saying goodbye to the Dutch rider.

The Italian cyclist had a special bond with Vollering, as she revealed to Bici.PRO. "We shared a room a few times, especially during our first year at SD Worx in 2021. I got to know her on a personal level, which helped me a lot in embracing my role as her wingman. It was a joy to work with and for her. Both the team and I personally will miss her deeply. She’s an athlete who gives you the feeling that anything is possible.”

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Vollering impressively secured the silver medal at the World Time Trial Championships

Vollering occasionally needed a bit of support: "Sometimes, one word can make all the difference"

Cecchini emphasized that although their professional paths are diverging, their friendship will remain intact. "The beauty of bonds like this is that they stay with you. Demi and I will stay in touch. We are, first and foremost, friends. Demi’s decision was purely professional, but it doesn’t change what we’ve built and shared together." What is it about Vollering that really stood out to Cecchini? "Her confidence. She has an incredibly determined but deeply sensitive personality, which made it easy to connect with her. She’s someone who openly shares her emotions and feelings, even in public."

Vollering’s emotions were often on display this year, especially during her victory in the Vuelta a España. "When you watch her race, you immediately know what she wants — both from her teammates and from herself. During this year’s Vuelta, she wore the red jersey, but you could tell she wasn’t 100 percent sure of herself, even after she had proven to be the strongest. That hesitation stemmed from losing the race by just a few seconds in 2023. During the race, I stayed close to her and reminded her not to worry. Sometimes, just one word can make all the difference."

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Four seconds was the gap between winner Katarzyna Niewiadoma and Demi Vollering in the Tour de France

"Anyone who knows anything about cycling knows that Demi was the strongest in the Tour"

The Tour de France ended in disappointment: Vollering’s much-discussed crash and the team’s decisions at the time were major factors in her eventually losing the race. "I wasn’t there and didn’t experience the dynamics of that moment," the Italian explained. "I only know that under normal circumstances, Vollering would have won. On the day of the crash, I don’t know exactly what happened. But anyone who knows anything about cycling knows that Demi was the strongest in the Tour. Like other Dutch athletes, she has an undeniable ability to just get back up again."

Next year, Vollering will race for a French team. Cecchini believes her new squad should focus on what lies ahead, not dwell on the past. "Whoever coaches Demi Vollering from now on should focus on her future, not on the past." SD Worx-Protime openly decided to prioritize its project with Lotte Kopecky, which seemed to spark tension. "A lot has been written and said, but I think it’s all pure gossip. Up until the Tour, those connections were calm and relaxed. I wasn’t at La Grande Boucle, so I don’t know if things changed from that point on. But in October, we were all at ease and happy with what we’d built together."

Vollering with new team in US, preparing for 2028 Olympics?

Vollering was in the United States herself this week. She was first there to get acquainted with her new team and take a vacation. "Enjoyed the last bit of California sunshine! "she captioned her Instagram post. "This trip was a blast! First of all, I enjoyed the time I had with my new future team. A big shout out to all the cycling fanatics on the road, it's really cool to see a lot of you and meet some of you on the road. The cycling community is really lovely here, and I can't wait to comeback and meet more of you."

California already has a fairly large cycling culture. For example, the Tour of California, North America's only WorldTour stage race, was held there for many years. Since 2019, however, the round has not been run. In Los Angeles, Vollering rode around on perhaps future familiar roads. "Also, I trained a day in LA, so who knows, maybe I was already doing some roads of the LA Olympics 28," she concludes with a wink.

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